Factory set to produce precast building materials in Kenya

New plant introduces modern production technology for construction

China Wu Yi Co is set to officially begin producing construction materials in Kenya, following the completion of work on its factory for precast building materials.

The factory in Athi River, a town outside Nairobi in Machakos county, has been conducting trial operations since August.

The company's executive director, Lin Yihua, says the trial operations were intended to equip the technical workers with required skills before the launch of official operations in November.

"The workers are skillful, so we are guaranteed to produce good-quality products. The trial operation products are being used to construct the Chinese workers' dormitory and a canteen," he says.

Once in operation, annual production of precast concrete will be 50,000 cubic meters which, according to Lin, is enough for 20,000 apartments for public servants, with each occupying between 80 to 100 square meters.

Construction of the building industrialization research, development and production base, as well as a construction materials supermarket, kicked off in September last year.

The $100 million project is being undertaken by the company's local branch, China Wu Yi (Kenya) Precast Co. The construction of the supermarket is progressing and it is expected to be complete by March.

After the completion of the project, it will be a modern construction industrialization base able to design, manufacture, produce, develop, sell, display and demonstrate construction products, including prefabricated steel structures.

Wainaina Macharia, the cabinet secretary in the Kenyan Ministry of Transport, congratulated China Wu Yi for bringing modern technology to Kenya through the project.

"What I have seen in this project exceeds my expectations, because it's transformational in terms of industrial development. This project is being put in place at a very opportune time because the government plans to construct 1 million houses within the next five years," he says.

Macharia says Kenya has a shortage of 1.85 million houses, so the project will greatly help in addressing the problem.

He said he and his team were very impressed, especially by the modern use of technology, when they visited the project on Oct 17.

"This demonstrates that China is our partner in development because it's bringing modern technology to Africa. I'm also impressed by Chinese diversified investment in the country, which ranges from roads, railways and now building materials technology," he says.

Macharia thanked China Wu Yi for training young Kenyans on the new technology, saying the skills will help the country to move forward. He also thanked the Chinese government for partnering with Kenya on development projects.

Macharia says the project is so impressive that he will ask President Uhuru Kenyatta to tour it.

Liu Xianfa, the Chinese ambassador to Kenya, says the relationship between the two countries has been elevated to a strategic cooperative partnership.

"We are ready to participate in the development of Kenya as well as help the country to attain its Vision 2030. We recognize that Kenya is a hub for East Africa as well as a hub for the Belt and Road Initiative," he says.

The precast building materials will reduce the cost of construction by a third, the ambassador says. He asked that China Wu Yi set up a training center to transfer knowledge to Kenyans.

Company Executive Director Lin says that since the materials produced at the factory will be sold in the supermarket, costs will be reduced because there will be no intermediaries.

He says the company will set up more factories in other parts of the country within three to five years. The company also plans to expand throughout East Africa later.

"Our aim is to bring good-quality products to Africa through the Belt and Road Initiative, in an effort to drive the continent's economic development," says Lin.

edithmutethya@chinadaily.com.cn

(China Daily Africa Weekly 10/20/2017 page27)